When you look up into the night sky, you might see stars, the moon, the brighter planets and even parts of the Milky Way. But our human eyes can barely scratch the surface of what lies beyond the Earth’s atmosphere.

Since the beginning of humanity, we have longed to explore outer space, but it was only in the mid-20th century that we truly began to explore the universe.

From the launch of Sputnik 1, the first artificial satellite, in 1957 to the first crew arriving at the International Space Station in 2000, we’ve now learned more about space than our ancestors could have dared to imagine.

Telescopes have given us an incredible insight into the stars, planets and clouds of gas and dust help together by gravity to form galaxies.

Spacecraft like the Pluto-bound New Horizons and the Mars Rover have allowed us to explore the surfaces and make-up of distant planets, asteroids and comets.

We use our own and third-party cookies to improve our services, personalise your advertising and remember your preferences. If you continue browsing, or click on the accept button on this banner, we understand that you accept the use of cookies on our website. For more information visit our Cookies PolicyAcceptClose cookie policy overlay